The news of Kai's passing swept through the academy like a cold wind, chilling every heart it touched. Whispers filled the halls, hushed voices carrying the weight of loss and disbelief. For someone so strong, so determined, to be taken by something as mundane and cruel as heart disease felt like an insult to everything they had been fighting for.
But the world did not stop turning. Life went on, and the academy, with its constant churn of training and missions, seemed to move even faster, as if to fill the void Kai had left behind. Only a select few knew the truth of his death, and even fewer were invited to his secret funeral.
The gathering was small, intimate, held in the deep, hidden grove behind the academy—a place Kai had always loved for its quiet serenity, where the trees stood tall and unyielding like silent guardians. It was here, under the cover of thick canopies and dappled sunlight, that they would say their goodbyes.
Reina stood at the forefront, her eyes red from the tears she had shed earlier. She had fought hard to keep her composure, but as she looked at the simple stone marker they had placed at the center of the grove, she felt her resolve waver. It was a small, unremarkable piece of granite, with Kai's name etched into it. No titles, no accolades—just his name and the dates that marked the too-short span of his life.
Yuta stood beside her, his face pale and drawn. His brother's death had shaken him to his core. The usually calm and collected demeanor was gone, replaced by a raw grief he could not hide. He stared at the marker as if expecting Kai to suddenly sit up and laugh, telling them it had all been a cruel joke. But there was only silence.
Mei, Arion, and a few others gathered close, their faces a mixture of shock and sorrow. Each of them held a small, white lily—the traditional flower of farewell in their world. The wind blew gently, rustling the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of earth and flowers.
Reina took a deep breath, her voice low but steady. "Thank you all for coming," she began, her voice breaking slightly. "I know this… this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Kai was supposed to be here, with us, leading us, fighting beside us… not… not gone…"
Yuta's gaze dropped to the ground, his hand tightening around the lily. He swallowed hard, his voice raw when he finally spoke. "Kai… was always there for everyone. No matter how tough things got, he always found a way to push forward. He never backed down, never gave up. And he… he loved this academy. He believed in us."
Arion, usually so stoic, blinked rapidly, his eyes glistening. "He was more than just a leader… more than just a friend. He was a brother to all of us. We owe him… we owe him so much."
Mei nodded, stepping forward, her expression solemn. "Kai wasn't just strong because of his powers. He was strong because he cared—deeply. About all of us, about what we were fighting for. He would have wanted us to keep going, to keep fighting, not to give up because he's… because he's gone…"
Reina's throat tightened as she heard Mei's words, but she forced herself to stay strong. "Kai was a fighter, a protector… a light in all of our lives," she continued, her voice thick with emotion. "He always knew how to inspire us, to lift us up even when things seemed impossible. And even in his last moments, he was thinking about us. About this fight."
She turned to Yuta, her eyes softening with understanding. "Yuta… would you like to say something?"
Yuta hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, his shoulders squared. "Kai was my brother… my older brother," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "He was always looking out for me, even when I didn't want him to. He… he taught me what it means to be strong, to fight for something bigger than yourself."
He paused, swallowing hard as he struggled to find the right words. "But he also taught me about sacrifice… about how sometimes, you have to let go of what you want for the sake of others. Kai… he gave everything for us, for this academy… and I just… I just wish I could have done more for him in return."
Tears slipped down his cheeks, but Yuta didn't wipe them away. "I know he's at peace now… but it hurts. It hurts so much to know that he's gone."
Reina reached out, placing a comforting hand on Yuta's shoulder. "Kai's spirit will always be with us," she said softly. "In every battle, in every victory, in every moment we stand together… we'll carry him with us."
She looked around at the small group, seeing the pain etched into every face. "We can't let his death be in vain. We have to keep fighting, keep moving forward. That's what he would have wanted."
There was a somber silence, and then, one by one, they stepped forward to lay their lilies at the base of the stone marker. The flowers piled up, a small, bright contrast against the cold granite.
Mei knelt down, her fingers brushing against the stone. "Goodbye, Kai," she whispered. "Thank you for everything… we'll never forget you."
Arion placed his lily down, his expression softening for a moment. "Rest easy, Kai," he said quietly. "We'll take it from here."
Yuta was the last to approach. He knelt before the marker, his hand trembling as he laid his lily down. "I'll make you proud, Kai," he promised, his voice breaking. "I swear… I'll make you proud."
Reina stepped back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She took a deep breath, then raised her hand, her voice steady. "Let's honor him… in the way he would have wanted. By being strong, by fighting on. For Kai."
"For Kai," the others echoed, their voices filled with resolve.
As the wind rustled through the trees, carrying their words away, the small group stood together, united in their grief and their determination. They had lost a friend, a brother, a leader. But they would carry on, carrying his spirit with them, no matter what lay ahead.
And in the quiet of the grove, under the watchful eyes of the trees, the stone marker stood tall—a silent testament to the life of Kai, and the love he had inspired in all who knew him.